TMF vs. Menéndez Senate race price tag: $2.3 million

photo by: Bob Daemmrich/Marjorie Kamys CoteraState Reps. José Menéndez (l.) and Trey Martinez-Fischer, both from San Antonio Districts, are seeking the state Senate seat vacated by Leticia Van de Putte, who is running for mayor of that city (courtesy: The Texas Tribune).

AUSTIN — Two San Antonio Democrats and a powerful special interest group combined to drop more than $1.2 million since Jan.1 in the race to replace state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte — ratcheting up an already pricey contest.

New campaign finance reports made public Tuesday detail the latest round of contributions and spending by state Reps. Jose Menéndez and Trey Martinez Fischer, along with outside money flowing into the race via Texans for Lawsuit Reform.

The total price tag now for the Senate District 26 seat: more than $2.3 million.

According to state data, Martinez Fischer has spent more than $1.2 million, while the Menéndez campaign total is around $513,000. TLR, an Austin lobby group that became a flash point during the SD 26 special election, has now tossed in a total of about $558,000, mostly in the form of attack ads targeting Martinez Fischer or other materials supporting Menendez.

The bulk of the money has been spent has been spent on ads. State data shows the two campaigns and TLR have combined to spend about $1.5 million to air messages on television and radio. Martinez Fischer has spent about $954,000 on television and radio; Menéndez $236,000; and TLR about $300,000.

Early voting started Monday for the Feb. 17 runoff. Martinez Fischer and Menéndez emerged from a crowded field in a January special election, in which Martinez Fischer dominated by snagging 43 percent of the vote to Menéndez’s 25 percent. Two Republicans in the field split 28 percent of the total vote.

Here are some breakdowns from the new reports, which cover the period from Jan 1 to Feb. 7.